The Best Revenge: A Stormbreaker One-Shot
by dominicgrim
Summary: Sereda Aeducan takes a different kind of revenge on her brother. Sometimes death is too kind, a dwarf understands that.


**The Best Revenge: A Stormbreaker One-shot**

"Is this the part where you threaten me, sister?"

Sereda Aeducan chuckled. Her little brother had never understood her, but she had to admit, he had surprised her. She never would have expected him to climb to such lofty heights. She had always assumed he would be content to serve in the Assembly, under either their older brother Trian or her.

Neither of them had realized how…ambitious Bhelen was. He would never have been able to live in an Orzammar ruled by King Trian or Queen Sereda.

He had shown both cunning and initiative.

Now, Bhelen Aeducan, the new King of Orzammar stood before her.

He was a dwarf transformed; a suit of fine silverite chainmail encased his body. The crown forged by Caridin the paragon smith rested on his head. His beard was neatly groomed and his eyes burned with the fires of victory.

He thought that he had it all, and he did.

But soon…soon he would not want it.

Seri actually smiled at that.

"Why would I threaten you little brother?" she said, "I'm proud of you. You have proven yourself worthy of the name Aeducan," her smiled turned sad. "I just wish you had not had to destroy our entire family to prove it."

"You murdered Trian," he said dismissively. "You destroyed our family."

"Because you convinced us both that we were conspiring against each other,"

"And you both began to because of it," Bhelen smirked, "You killed Trian, and earned your exile sister. I…I just told you what you wanted to hear."

She considered what he said. There was a time not too long ago that she had dreamed of gutting him for what he had done to her. The deep roads had changed that, she had had time to think.

Time to plan a more perfect revenge, a revenge she would take now.

Her smile returned.

Bhelen felt uncomfortable under her gaze. This was not going as it was supposed to. Seri should have been yelling at him, or begging to return.

She should not have been smiling.

That smile unnerved him.

"Sister…I…"

"Did you murder Papa?" she asked, her eyes going as cold as ice.

"No," he said, "Father could not stand the thought of his little girl in the deep roads. He took ill; I had no hand in his death."

"Not personally anyway," she commented.

Yes…Bhelen may not have done it himself, but many of his allies might have decided to act in his name. King Endrin had been weakened. The deep stalkers would have smelled blood on the stone and come for him.

Bhelen shrugged.

"I don't know sister," he said, "I can't say for sure what happened. Only that I did not order Father's death, not that it mattered. After you left…father became irrelevant."

"Unlike me?"

"You survived," he said sullenly, "I think you should be grateful that I don't order you tossed back into the deep roads right now."

Seri did not respond. As King, he could do it, but she did not think he would. It was better to have her as a surface dwarf then plotting his downfall in the deeps.

_Though…she would have enjoyed torturing him with that vision, her plotting in the darkness, Bhelen would have been tortured by that. Fortunately, she had come up with something better._

He had never thought he would see her again. She had played her part well and gotten rid of Trian for him, and then she was supposed to have died in the deep roads, leaving him free to assume the Aeducan throne.

He should have known that she would not have the decency to die when she was supposed to. She was too tough to just lie down and die, and too strong to give in to despair.

That is why that warden elf had agreed to let her join them. Alim was brave, but he was not a commander. He needed someone who knew how to fight darkspawn. He needed a Commander who could lead his growing army to victory.

Seri intended to be that commander.

The months in the deep roads had changed her. The scavenged armor she wore had been modified using leather straps so that it fit properly. Her blonde hair had been cut shorter, used to light to light her campfires in the deep roads, a new scar graced her left cheek, but the most telling thing that had changed was her eyes.

The blue eyes that had always radiated with such haughtiness and arrogance had grown cold. She knew what it took to survive now, and she at last had found perspective about life in Orzammar.

A perspective that she was about to share with him.

"I am leaving with the warden brother, and I don't suspect I shall return."

"Then die well sister," he said removing the crown and letting it rest on his desk, "Prove the strength of Aeducan to the surfacers, and May the Ancestors smile on you."

Seri laughed at that.

Bhelen gave her a cross glance.

"Have I said something funny?" he demanded.

"Indeed," she chortled, "You think I need the support of the Ancestors? Oh brother, I'm afraid you are mistaken. It is you who will need their protection."

"And what do I have to fear?" he chuckled, "I am now King! I am the King of Orzammar, the mightiest of the dwarven cities!"

Seri smirked at him.

"That crown, which so many have died for, will become a heavy stone upon your head brother. Far more than you could ever realize."

"I'm strong enough to bear the burden."

"I believed the same once," she shrugged. "Tell me brother; do you trust the members of your court?"

"My strength will keep them in line," he scoffed.

"And what of your concubine?" she asked, "What was her name? Rilla?

"Rica," he growled, "And if you think to threaten her…"

Not me brother," she said, "Remember, I said I was not here to threaten you. I'm here to warn you. You said you did not kill our father, fine I believe you, but what of the others?"

"What others?" he spat.

"The ones who helped father into the grave," she said, "What will they do? Perhaps they will not like your policies. Perhaps they will find another to back?"

"I will suffer no rivals."

She grinned again.

"A friend can become a rival very quickly. Vartag, Piotin, Lord Dace and Lady Helmi, they will all be watching you brother. They will be waiting for you to put down your guard."

He considered what she said, some of the triumph faded from his eyes.

She could almost hear the wheels in his head turning, thinking of accidents that would befall those who opposed him.

"But the greatest threat," she said warmly, "Is the one closest to you, the one you will never see coming."

"And what threat is that?" he sneered.

Her face turned serious.

"You have a son?"

He nodded.

"What is his name?"

"Endrin… after our father," he responded.

"A good name," she nodded, "A strong name."

"Make your point sister and be gone," he growled, "I have a kingdom to rule."

"I'm almost done brother," she promised. "Right now, your son his first in line for the throne, but one day, if you take a wife among one of the noble houses that may change. You may have another son or daughter. Will they be raised together?"

"My children are the future of our family." He replied.

"Yes they are, they are your children," she said thoughtfully, "Tell me, which would you decide to be your heir, your current son or a future noble born pureblood son?"

"I would support the strongest."

"As did father, or at least…he thought he did."

Bhelen froze.

Seri saw it in his eyes; he was starting to see the truth.

Her grin widened.

Now it was time to end this game.

"What if one of your children decides that they should be king" she asked. "What if they decide your choice was wrong?"

"They would not do it, I would make sure…"

"What if a child of yours decides to be…proactive, that he or she does not wish to wait to be named heir."

"I' won't…"

"You won't be able to stop it!" she snarled, "One day, the children that you bring into this world might decide that you no longer matter. That only their vision of the future is needed. On that day…They will truly be **your** children, true heirs to the legacy of Bhelen."

Fury flashed in the new King's eyes. He…he would have her flayed, executed! How dare she…

Then he began to think.

He thought about Trian, he thought about little Endrin.

Bhelen's face paled slightly.

No…no, it would not happen!

Not his little boy!

Sereda did not look away, her eyes burned into his.

The smile returned.

"This is my coronation gift for you brother: the future. Advice and a warning will you be strong enough to hold House Aeducan together, or will one of your children decide that they could do better one day? That is reality of rule brother. You may sit on the throne, but you will need eyes in the back of your head. You have surrounded yourself with ambitious people. One day…one of them might act on that ambition, and if they don't…your children just might."

Bhelen sank into a chair, he found himself staring at the paragon crown.

Did he know what it meant? Did it seemed heavier than when it first sat on his head?

_She certainly hoped so._

Seri started to back away.

"Be careful little brother," she said, "I'm leaving now, to fight at the side of people I have come to trust. You must remain here, surrounded by enemies and sycophants. Pray to the Ancestors brother, beg for their strength. That is the only way you will be able to hold onto the Aeducan throne. "

She continued to smile.

"And watch those you love most," she warned, "One day they might decide that your crown is more valuable than your love. I would hate to see you come to a sad end, like Trian…like…father."

She left him then closing the door behind her.

She felt the call of triumph.

She might not have the throne, but she had had her revenge.

Let her little brother sit on the throne; let him watch all those deep stalkers that had aided him in betraying her and Trian.

Let them tear each other apart.

One day…Bhelen would find himself firmly in the crosshairs of one of his heirs.

Would he have the strength to remove them?

She hoped that she lived long enough to see it.

Let him know the pain she had felt, the kiss of betrayal.

He had throne, but she had peace of mind.

How much is a good night's sleep worth brother?

He would learn the answer to that question soon enough.

She felt light as she left the palace with Alim and the others.

The surface awaited, while Bhelen would be caged here, locked in his palace…his gilded cage.

He had the crown, and all the paranoia and fear that went with it.

She had something infinitely more valuable.

She felt it with every step.

She…she felt…

**Free.**


End file.
